Tools & DIY · Head-to-head
iFixit Mako Driver Kit, 64 Precision Bits vs Vessel TD-56S Precision Screwdriver Set
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Precision Screwdriver Sets: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Mako is the only kit here whose published bit list covers JIS, pentalobe and tri-point in one case, which matches what current Apple and Japanese hardware is actually fastened with. The Vessel is the cheap, narrow, excellent answer if your problem is specifically cross head screws that keep camming out.
iFixit Mako Driver Kit, 64 Precision Bits
Buy itThe one kit here whose published bit list carries JIS cross point, pentalobe and tri-point together, in a case that names every slot.
- iFixit lists JIS bits in 000, 00, 0 and 1 as separate items from its Phillips 0, 00, 000, 1 and 2, so the JIS profile is genuinely in the box rather than implied.
- Covers pentalobe P2, P5 and P6 and tri-point Y000, Y00, Y0 and Y1, which is the combination current iPhones and MacBooks call for.
- The bit metal is published as S2 steel, which is more than most makers in this category commit to.
- The 4 mm handle has a magnetic bit socket and a swivel top, and the bits sit in an ABS case with a foam insert plus a magnetic lid tray for the screws you take out.
- No hardness figure is published anywhere, so S2 is a grade claim and not a measured property.
- No electrical surface resistance is published, so it is not documented as an ESD safe tool.
- A 64 bit tray is a lot of profiles you will never use, and the ones you do use are the smallest and easiest to lose.
Vessel TD-56S Precision Screwdriver Set
Buy itSix fixed blade drivers whose cross points Vessel recommends for JIS and JCIS screws, which is the specific fix for cross heads that keep camming out.
- Vessel states outright that the cross point models are recommended for JIS and JCIS work, which is a claim about recess geometry rather than a generic 'fits Phillips'.
- Every driver has a swivel cap, so you brace with a fingertip and spin with the other hand, which is the whole point of a precision handle.
- Six fixed blades in slotted 0.7 and 0.9 mm and cross point 0000, 000, 00 and 0, colour coded, in a plastic storage case.
- Nothing to lose: there is no bit to fall off the bench and vanish.
- No pentalobe, no tri-point and no Torx, so it will not open a current iPhone or a MacBook on its own.
- Vessel publishes stainless steel for the main body and says nothing about the tip steel or its hardness.
- Six sizes is genuinely six sizes, so it is an addition to a kit rather than the whole kit.
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| iFixit Mako Driver Kit, 64 Precision Bits Our pick | Vessel TD-56S Precision Screwdriver Set | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone who opens phones, laptops, consoles and Japanese built electronics and wants one case that covers all of them. | Someone working on cameras, lenses, audio gear, consoles or hobby electronics who is tired of Phillips drivers slipping out of Japanese cross heads. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Bits or fixed blades | 64 bits into one 4 mm handle | 6 fixed blade drivers |
| JIS cross point | JIS 000, 00, 0 and 1 listed separately from Phillips | Cross points, maker recommends for JIS and JCIS |
| Apple drives | Pentalobe P2, P5, P6 and tri-point Y000 to Y1 | None |
| Published bit steel or hardness | S2 steel, no hardness figure | Stainless steel body, tip steel not stated |
| Published ESD surface resistance | Not published | Not published |
| Free spinning cap | Swivel top on the handle | Swivel cap on every driver |
| Storage and retention | ABS case with foam insert, magnetic lid tray | Plastic storage case |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the iFixit Mako Driver Kit, 64 Precision Bits if
anyone who opens phones, laptops, consoles and Japanese built electronics and wants one case that covers all of them.
Know before buying: no hardness figure is published anywhere, so S2 is a grade claim and not a measured property.
Pick the Vessel TD-56S Precision Screwdriver Set if
someone working on cameras, lenses, audio gear, consoles or hobby electronics who is tired of Phillips drivers slipping out of Japanese cross heads.
Know before buying: no pentalobe, no tri-point and no Torx, so it will not open a current iPhone or a MacBook on its own.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the iFixit Mako Driver Kit, 64 Precision Bits - The one kit here whose published bit list carries JIS cross point, pentalobe and tri-point together, in a case that names every slot. Choose the Vessel TD-56S Precision Screwdriver Set instead if someone working on cameras, lenses, audio gear, consoles or hobby electronics who is tired of Phillips drivers slipping out of Japanese cross heads.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Precision Screwdriver Sets: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).